Beenie Man Says He Was Never Banned From The UK

The Girls Dem Sugar Beenie Man has been in the UK for almost two weeks now, and the Dancehall superstar has made it clear that he was “never banned” from travelling there.  Beenie did his first interview since landing on British soil, with Zeze Millz, who promptly asked him about his former travel restrictions.

“I am in the country,” was Beenie Man’s banal response. “But was you ever banned from the country?” Millz pressed.

“I am in the country,” he restated.

“Yeah, I know you are here now.  Was you ever banned?” Zeze asked again.

It was then that Beenie Man made his revelation, that at no point was he ever forbidden from entering the UK.

“I have never (been) banned from the country.  My passport was restricted for a time.  But for the time, mi decide not to fight it or contest it, yuh seet?  But dis time now after di COVID, mi did really waan come si mi son and mi did really waan come talk to some people in England.  Mi guh a di embassy an dem gi mi a visa and I’m here,” the Who am I artist explained.

When the host asked why his visa was restricted, Beenie did not reveal much, but indicated that it was due to a legal matter.

“It was a court ting, you know yea.  And it finish inna di court and you zeet… and now I’m here,” he said.

For years speculations had been rife that Beenie had been blocked from entering Britain.

In 2012, the UK Evening Standard listed the deejay along with Sizzla, Buju Banton and Elephant Man as being among eight Jamaican artists who were being investigated for lyrics that the authorities thought were inciting violence against homosexuals.  The Standard had indicated that Sizzla was banned.

Almost two weeks ago, popular selector Foota Hype broke the news about Beenie’s return to the UK, declaring that he was excited, as he was sure that “England has not seen an artiste the caliber of Beenie Man for the longest”.

“Imagine how Beenie a guh do ova deh!” Foota said excitedly.  “Mi glad a me a break the news yah first, caw England a guh tun up.  Yow, a di best ting di Queen coulda do.  Di Queen need fi free up Killa now an free up Ele,” he said.

“A weh dem a guh put him. O2 caan hold dat.  Dem betta put him inna Wembley Stadium… a crane dem haffi guh use teck off Benie Man; him nawstop deejay.  Him nawstop sing –  a di queen an har guard dem haffi come teck Beenie offa dah stage deh. When Beenie done dance an jump and wave a trouble enuh!” the selector added.

For the last week, Beenie has been posting images of himself in London, out and about with his friends and his son, and has been cheered on by his Dancehall compatriots including Bounty Killer and Konshens.

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Beenie Man is set to make what is being described as a grand return to a United Kingdom stage on August 28, the first in 12 years at the inaugural staging of the Afrobeat festival, Yam Carnival in Clapham Common, London.

According to the promoters, the decision to add Beenie Man to the line-up was geared at “achieving diversity”.

“Expect a host of classic Dancehall hits from a whopping catalogue stretching back to his early breakthrough days as a Jamaican sound system deejay, through to his first major chart-topping hits in the 90s, and collaborations with everyone from Janet Jackson to The Fugees,” they noted in a press release.

Beenie Man’s compatriot Koffee, is also billed for the event which also includes Davido and other Afrobeats acts.

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